To Celebrate a Life of Love: Mary Esther Ramirez
December 19, 1941-June 16, 2019
Mary Esther Ramirez, 77, passed away on June 16, 2019, in Norfolk, Virginia. She was born on December 19, 1941, to Cipriano and Ynez Gomez in San Antonio, Texas. She was the beloved wife of Antonio I. Ramirez for 54 years, the mother of four children, grandmother to four, and great-grandmother to two.
Mary Esther was well-loved, and she knew how to love well. She cherished spending time with her sisters and brothers, her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She enjoyed traveling, and she loved to garden and feed birds. Mary Esther also enjoyed volunteering at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in the Mobile Loaves & Fishes ministry.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Antonio Ivon Ramirez; and daughter, Margaret Jean Ramirez. She is survived by her children, David A. Ramirez (Judith Ramirez) from Pensacola, FL, Patricia A. Hutson (Larry Hutson) from Jacksonville, FL, and Roland E. Ramirez from Plato, MO; grandchildren Jessica K. Lang (Jerry Lang), Zachary D. Ramirez, Jessica N. Boguslawski (John Boguslawski III), and Renee M. Ramirez; and great-grandchildren, Brayden J. Lang and Riley L. Lang.
Visitation will be held at Castle Ridge Mortuary on Monday, July 1, 2019, from 5:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m., with the Rosary to be recited at 7:00 p.m. A funeral Mass will be held July 2, 2019, at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church at 9:00 a.m. Her interment will be at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, Shelter 1, at 11:00 a.m.
To Celebrate a Life of Love: Lucio S. Guerra
November 8, 1935-June 23, 2019
Lucio S. Guerra, Jr., age 83, passed to a new life and entered eternal rest with the Lord on June 23, 2019 at 5:05 pm at Mission Regional Hospital in Mission, Texas. Born on November 8, 1935 in Rio Grande City, to Lucio S. Guerra, Sr., and Severina Lopez Guerra. Lucio attended Rio Grande City High School and was a member of the band and FFA. He met the love of his life, Margarita R. Guerra while they were in junior high school. After graduating they married on October 25, 1958 at Immaculate Conception Church of Rio Grande City. They began their lives in Mission and had 3 children. Lucio was a carpenter, taught by his father, and built the family’s home in Mission where they still reside. After serving his Active Duty Tour both abroad and stateside, he returned home. Lucio later joined the US Army Reserve as a member of the 961st S&S Company in McAllen, Texas where he served for 10 years, later transferring to the Army National Guard in Mission, TX where he retired with the rank of Sgt. 1st class (E7) with 20 years of combined service. Lucio was an officer and Post Commander of CWV Post 1065 in Mission for two terms. Lucio was a Troop Leader involved with Boy Scout Troop 83 which was affiliated with St. John of the Fields Catholic Church. Lucio also became a firefighter and served as Fire Marshall, Code Enforcement Officer and Inspector for the City of Mission Fire Department. He retired after 30 years of service to the City of Mission. He is preceded in death by his parents Lucio and Severina Guerra and a brother Victor Manuel Guerra.
Left to cherish his memories are his wife of 61 years and his three children: Martha Nydia Guerra, Javier Joel Guerra, and Maria Leticia Guerra and two grandsons, Benjamin Isaac Guerra and Jacob Elijah Guerra. He also leaves behind a daughter in law Irene Martinez Guerra. Also surviving him are his siblings: Elma G. Fonseca (Victor), Joe F. Guerra, Cristina G. Bourbois (Joe), along with many nephews, nieces, and cousins. Lucio will continue to be remembered for his uncanny ability to tell a joke appropriate to whatever the situation called for…he will surely be making the angels laugh in heaven.
A very heartfelt thanks to Dr. Luis Arango and Dr. Carlos Pimentel.
A gathering of family and friends will take place on Thursday, June 27, 2019 at Rivera Funeral Home, 1813 N Conway, in Mission from 4:00 PM to 9:00 Pm with the recital of the Holy Rosary to begin at 7:00 PM. The funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday, June 28, 2019 at 9:30 AM at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Mission. Interment with full military honors at the Rio Grande Valley State Veterans Cemetery in Mission at 11:00 AM
Funeral arrangements are being handled by Rivera Funeral Home of Mission.
To Celebrate a Life of Love: Sharyl Rae Harrison
November 29, 1948-June 19, 2019
The vigil service for Sharyl Harrison will be on Sunday, June 23 at 6:30 pm at St. Francis of Assisi. The funeral Mass will be on Monday, June 24 at 10 am at St. Francis of Assisi. Eternal rest grant unto her, oh Lord, and may perpetual light shine upon her. May she rest in peace.
The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
We Share What We Have
“They all ate and were satisfied.” Isn’t that the wish we have each time we sit down to a meal after much planning, preparation, and inviting? This Sunday’s gospel describes a multitude of people gathered to hear Jesus preach. As usual, Jesus becomes concerned for their hunger. We know the rest of the story. They had only five loaves and two fish, but all were fed. And they were satisfied. Perhaps they hungered for something other than food.
Br. John-Marmion Villa, BSC writes this in a commentary:
How happy Jesus would be if we learned how to recognize him in the breaking of the bread (Lk 24:31), to savor the moment of encounter, to relax in the peace of his presence, to worship the majesty of his humble appearance in the species of bread and wine. If we could make him happy just to recognize him, then I think our lives would also be happier because we would be compelled to give away what we had received. Then, we would have become what we have consumed.
David Kauffman’s lyrics teach us: “See what you are. Become what you eat. We are the Body of Christ.” We are to be the Body of Christ, to be in communion, to be Christ’s presence in all that we do and with all we meet. We give what we have received!
Pope Francis encourages us: “Jesus Christ loves you, he gave his life to save you, and now he is living at your side every day to enlighten, strengthen and feed you” (Evangelii Gaudium, 164).
Download Our Parish App!
Our St. Francis of Assisi app is available to download for Apple and Android smartphones. Stay connected with our parish throughout the week with instant notifications, quick access to online giving, Mass and Reconciliation reminders, easy access to our weekly bulletin, as well as additional features like prayers, saint of the day, and much more. Download our app today at www.myparishapp.com, text App to 55321, or search your phone’s app store for myParish.
For an app download guide, please click here.
We hope for our app to be a tool for fostering stronger parish life at St. Francis and better engaging the New Evangelization.
Online Giving
St. Francis of Assisi depends on the parishioner support and generosity of the weekend offertory contributions. Your continued financial support is needed for the financial obligations of the Church. You can continue to support the Church by mailing in your contributions, by making an online contribution, or by clicking the “Giving” button in our parish app. Your continued support is greatly appreciated.
If you have not set up online giving with us, you can also use this alternative online giving link from the Archdiocese of San Antonio. All proceeds will come to our parish. Please be sure to select St. Francis of Assisi – SA – San Antonio.
The Most Holy Trinity
Undivided Unity—The Trinity
When are we most aware of the Trinity in our lives? Think about it. When do we invoke Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? What images remind us of the Trinity? At a meeting that I attended this week, the leader began the prayer with the sign of the cross: “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.” That was the prayer and he proceeded to explain why. Whatever we do next—at the meeting, in the morning when we wake up, at work, before our meals, at Mass, at prayer times—is done in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We acknowledge that we are partners with God in continuing creation, in continuing relatedness. We acknowledge that the Father sent his Son who sent the Holy Spirit. They are so related, so connected, so in sync! No wonder then that so many images of the Trinity somehow display an “undivided unity.”
The life of the Trinity is on-going. It is not self-contained or self-absorbed, but ever flowing outward, touching and embracing all of creation, all of life in unity and communion. Listen this weekend to all the ways God delights in creation. As we continue to be active in God’s continuing acts of creation, do we take delight in God?
Pentecost Sunday
Wind, Love, and Breath
Mighty wind? Fiery love? Gentle breath! Which image of the Holy Spirit are you expecting when you celebrate Pentecost this weekend?
When I last visited Prague in the Czech Republic a few weeks ago, I became aware of my immense inheritance from the culture and language my parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents knew and lived. It was a very emotional time for me. When my great-grandparents (on both sides of family) left their native land, they never returned to visit. They never had the opportunity that I have had to come to understand how language, food, customs, vegetation, and flowers form us and UNITE us. For me, this visit was a new Pentecost—a new way of seeing and understanding the importance of identifying with others—some so much like me and some so very different. Yet the sense of UNITY for me was profound. I was at home in so many ways.
What I left the country with was an aching heart, however, for the loss of faith. I wanted the Holy Spirit to come as a mighty wind and a fiery love to renew the faith I inherited from just such a country.
Pentecost is a good time to reflect on how the Holy Spirit is present, at work in our lives. Like those present in the Upper Room when they received the Holy Spirit, we are regularly gifted with the opportunity to hear other voices and to understand. In the midst of chaos, we are gifted with power to make a difference. At times of fear and despair, when we would rather hide and mind our own business, the Holy Spirit PUSHES us out to engage with the world, to renew the face of the earth. May our houses, our homes, and our hearts be ready to receive many people from different lands, languages, and ways of life. Some are already known to us. Others are not with us YET! Help us to see, touch, and meet Jesus Christ. Send us your Spirit, Lord, as a mighty wind, a fiery love, and gentle breath! Recreate in us a new sense of Unity as the Body of Christ on earth.
The Ascension of the Lord
Ascensions in Our Lives
Look up! Look out! Receive power! Go out into the world! Preach in Jesus’ name!
These are the messages of the Ascension! They are the messages to us of how we are to ascend out of the depths of whatever binds us in darkness, despair, sadness, and paralysis. They are imperatives guiding us to new life, renewed hope and joy—to ascension.
Those who were present when Jesus took leave of this earth experienced a leave-taking, a despedida like none other. What gave them hope was the promise of the power of the Holy Spirit. They left Jesus’ presence, profoundly and keenly aware of God’s presence with them, a presence that filled them with joy and with enthusiasm for being witnesses who preach in Jesus’ name. May this be true for us this weekend. We pray that we be mindful of the various experiences of “ascension” in our own lives. We pray in gratitude for God’s guiding presence in our lives and God’s nudges to witness new life, new hope, and boundless joy!
Sixth Sunday of Easter
Saying Goodbye
When I was a child visiting my grandparents, Grandpa would come out to the car with us, watch all 9 of us pile in and then he would lean over the open window of my father’s side and just stay there talking and talking and talking. Most of the time, the children all fell asleep, but Mom and Dad would continue to indulge Grandpa in conversation. It was too hard for them to say “goodbye.”
I know this from my Benedictine aunties who frequently told me about how homesick my grandparents were after the second group of daughters left to go to the convent in Illinois. My parents would “haul us” over to lessen the grief.
Jesus had to say “goodbye” to those he loved immensely too! Goodbye really is a prayer and a blessing that says “God be with you.” And Jesus made that promise to his beloved. He told them that the Father would send his Advocate, the Holy Spirit to be with them, to teach them and to guide them in all they do. If they forgot, the Spirit would remind them. What does it feel like to be Spirit-filled? For me, these are times of passionate energy as well as calming silence. I feel the Spirit urging me to speak on behalf of others, a compelling nudge to not let my silence mean complicitness. I feel the Spirit giving me the patience I never knew that I had. I can’t explain where it came from because I resisted. I feel the Spirit in recognizing the goodness that is in me from those who helped to form me to be the person I am today—my family, my friends, the people I have come to know through my years of ministry in many different places. It is always hard to say “goodbye.” I keep hanging on to the door of the car too! I wish I could stay in that mood, in that place, with those people. I pray that God will fill my heart with peace, even in times of anxiety. I pray the blessing prayer—“God be with you” and God be with me.